Bail buckle



April 27, 1943.

P. w. WHITE BAIL BUCKLE Filed Dec. 29, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 27, 1943. P. w. WHITE BAIL BUCKLE Fi led Dec. 29, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 27, 1943 BAIL BUCKLE Paul W. White, Waterbury, Conn, assi'grior to Parva Products Company, Chicago, 111., a ccr-' Duration of Delaware Application December 29, 1941, Serial No. 424,721

18 Claims.

This invention relates to buckles and more particularly to a two-piece buckle for use in connection with suspenders, garters, lingerie, and the like. The embodiment disclosed herein comprises a so-called bail buckle having a frame and loosely mounted ball, which cooperate to clamp a tape therebetween when tension is applied to the tape.

Buckles have heretofore been proposed in which the upper span of a bail is adapted to crimp a strap or tape downwardly in a slot between spaced cross bars of a frame. Such buckles have several disadvantages, however, in that they cannot clamp thick tape and thin tape equally well. Also, they are usually made of metal with the cross bars in the same plane and a narrow link forming the bail. The narrow upper span of the bail merely pulls the tape downwardly and tends to tension the tape rather than to clamp it against the side of one of the cross bars, as is contemplated in the present invention.

In the present invention the bars defining the bail slot in the frame are offset relative to the median plane of the frame and are preferably comparatively thick bars substantially rectangular in cross section so that leverage applied to the lower span of the bail with the lower cross bar as a fulcrum tends to clamp the tape or strap between the upper span and the upper cross bar.

In the embodiment illustrated, the frame is formed of molded material, preferably a suitable plastic, and is provided with side bars and four cross bars defining three parallel slots, two intermediate cross bars being on opposite sides of the median plane so that opposite sides of these two bars are substantially in the same plane.

The upper span of the bail is sufliciently wide so that, when the body of the bail is extended through the intermediate slot and rests against the side of the lower cross bar, one edge of the upper span rests against the side of the other intermediate cross bar and the opposite edge of the upper span overlaps the upper surface of the lower cross bar. By this construction, when a tape is threaded through the bail in the usual manner and one end of the tape secured to the lower span of the bail, tension on the tape tends to pivot the bail about the lower bar as a fulcrum so that the edge of the upper span tends to clamp the tape against the side of the upper cross bar. Furthermore, the upper span of the ball is slightly angular to the body of the bail so that, when in clamped position, the surface of the upper span is substantially parallel with the plane of the buckle. The offset relationship of the cross bars of the frame and the construction of the bail to function in the manner specified enables the same effective clamping 'andeasy release of either a thicker thin taper It is an object or the present invention to provide a two-piece bail buckle Of molded material having a plurality of cross bars, intermediate bars of which define a; slot to receive the bail and in which the cross bars are sufiiciently thick to provide a vertical clamping surface on one bar above the central plane of the buckle and a fulcrum on the adjacent bar which fulcrum is materially below the median lane of the name.

Another object is to provide a bail buckle of the character described in whicha comparatively wide upper span of the bail is provided which span is suitable for decoration and will normally be substantially parallel with the plane of the buckle when the usual tension is applied thereto.

A further object is to provide a two' -piece buckle which will clamp and release either a thick 'or thin tape with equal facility and will be cheap to manufacture, convenient in use, and will not easily 'get out of order.

Further objects will be apparent from the specification and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is atop view or a buckle attached to an elastic tape such, for instance, as a Suspender or a garter tape.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view taken on a line substantially corresponding to line 22 of Fig. 1 and illustrates the renuv'e osiuen of the parts when a thick tape is used.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrates the relative position of the parts when a very thin tape is used.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the bail.

Fig. 5 is a detail section through the bail and is taken on a line substantially corresponding to line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is abottoin perspective View of the molded frame illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3.

Fig. 7 is a top view of the buckle with the tape removed and illustrates the normal position of thebail supported between the intermediate cross bars.

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken on a line substantially corresponding to line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the efnbodifil eflt illlls tl'atd cbffipfises a frame I having side bars 2, 'end' cross bars 3, and a pair of inte'rmdiate cross 4 and 5. These er'oss; bars define outer slots 6 and 'l to receive a tape 8 and an intermediate slot 9 to receive a bail 10 which latter is loosely mounted therein as illustrated.

The bail It! comprises an upper span H and a lower span l2, the bail being formed substantially as illustrated in Fig. 4. This bail is preferably made of a single strip of sheet metal formed into a loop with the ends turned inwardly to form the lower span of the bail and preferably meeting on the central vertical plane of the bail at id. The major portion of the bail is materially narrower in cross section than the intermediate slot 9. However, at least a portion of the upper span is materially wider than the intermediate slot in the frame so that, when the bail is inserted in the slot as shown in Figs. '7 and 8, one edge of the upper span will rest against the side of the upper cross bar 4 and the opposite edge of the span will materially overlap the upper surface of the lower cross bar 5 as indicated at [3.

In the embodiment illustrated, the frame is formed of molded material and the side bars 2 are comparatively thick, as shown particularly in Fig. 6, and the inner surfaces of the cross bars are all in the same median plane 14 of the frame (Fig. 8). The fact that the frame is made of molded material is an important feature of the invention in that it enables the molding of thick cross bars with one of the cross bars below the median plane of the frame. These thick cross bars positioned as shown enable a particularly 'efiective clamping action of the tape when any thickness of tape is used, including very thin or very thick tape, and it avoids the necessity for positioning the upper span of the bail materially above the frame of the buckle and at the same time provides a more effective clamping action.

In applying the buckle to suspenders, for example, the tape 8 is threaded upwardly through the slot 6 over the intermediate bars 4 and 5 through the bail and then downwardly through the slot 7. The free end of the tape is formed into the usual loop and secured to the lower span of the bail as indicated by the reference numera [5. It will be apparent that, when tension is applied to the tape and transmitted to the lower span of the bail by means of the tape end I5, the bail is caused to pivot about the lower cross bar 5 as a fulcrum and the upper span of the ball will tend to clamp either a thick or thin tape against the side of the upper cross bar 5.

When a relatively thick tape such as the tape 8 shown in Fig. 2 is used, the bail I is firmly held by engagement of the end I of the tape with the lower surface of the cross bar 5, so that the bail is restrained against upward movement even though the tension on the tape 8 is relieved. Such upward movement would of course completely release the tape and permit slipping through the buckle. Adjustment of the buckle may be accomplished, however, merely by holding the frame I and exerting on the tape 8 a sufficient longitudinal pull in either direction to overcome the resistance to slippage offered by the firmly held bail. When tension is applied to the tape 8 the clamping action, due to pivotal movement of the bail, occurs principally at or closely adjacent the upper right-hand corner of the bar 4, as shown in Fig. 2, and the tape is thus clamped partially against the side and partially against the upper surface of the bar 4. When in the clamping position shown in Fig. 2,

the upper span H of the bail IQ assumes a position substantially horizontal with the plane of the buckle, thereby contributing to the attractive appearance of the buckle.

In Fig. 3 the buckle is shown as applied to a very thin tape 8, and it will be observed that this very thin tape is firmly clamped between one edge of the upper span of the bail Ill and one side of the bar 5, the tape at the same time being tensioned over the upper surface of the bar 5. Although buckles of this type, intended for use with tapes on the order of thickness of the tape 8, would not ordinarily be used with tapes .as thin as the tape 8, the buckle construction is such that a satisfactory clamping will be obtained while at the same time permittingready adjustment even with paper-thin tapes.

While I have shown particular embodiments of my invention, it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and I, therefore, contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A two-piece buckle comprising a frame having side bars and cross bars defining three parallel slots, the upper surface of one of the two intermediate cross bars being substantially below the upper surfaces of the remaining cross bars, and a bail between said intermediate cross bars having upper and lower spans respectively disposed above and below said frame so that a tape or web may be threaded through both outer slots and through said bail over said intermediate bars, said bars and said bail co-operating so that said tape will be clamped between the upper span of said bail and the upper intermediate cross bar when leverage is applied to the lower span of said bail with the lower intermediate cross bar as a fulcrum.

2. A two-piece buckle comprising a frame having side bars and cross bars defining three parallel slots, the lower surface of one of the two intermediate cross bars being substantially below the bottom surfaces of the remaining cross bars, and a bail between said intermediate cross bars and extending above and below said frame so that a tape or web may be threaded through both outer slots and through said bail over said intermediate bars, said bars and said bail 00- operating so that said tape will be clamped between the upper span of said bail and the upper intermediate cross bar when leverage is applied to the lower span of said bail with the lower intermediate cross bar as a fulcrum, the upper span of said bail being materially wider than the slot between said intermediate cross bars, so that said span overlaps said lower intermediate cross bar in all clamping positions.

3. A two-piece buckle comprising a frame having side bars and cross bars defining three parallel slots, the upper surface of one of the two intermediate cross bars being substantially in alignment with the bottom surface of the remaining cross bars, and a bail between said intermediate cross bars and extending above and below said frame so that a tape or web may be threaded through both outer slots and through said bail over said intermediate bars, said bars and said bail co-operating so that said tape will be clamped between the upper span of said bail and the upper intermediate cross bar when leverage is applied to the lower span of said bail with the lower intermediate cross bar as a fulcrum, the upper span of said bail being materially wider than the slot between said intermediate cross bars and so related thereto that a thick web may be clamped between one edge of said upper span and the upper corner of the upper intermediate cross bar, and a thin web may be clamped between said edge and the side of said upper cross bar and in either case said upper span will overlap said lower cross bar.

4. A buckle comprising a frame having two spaced cross bars and a bail between said cross bars having upper and lower spans, said frame having one or more slots to enable a web to be threaded therethrough and over said spaced cross bars and through said bail, said cross bars being laterally offset relative to the normal plane of said buckle so that the upper span of said bail tends to clamp said web against the side of one bar when tension is applied to the lower span of said bail with the other bar as a fulcrum.

5. A buckle comprising a frame having two spaced cross bars and a bail between said cross bars having upper and lower spans, said frame having one or more slots to enable a web to be threaded therethrough and over said spaced cross bars and through said bail, said cross bars being laterally offset relative to the normal plane of said buckle so that the upper span of said bail tends to clamp said web against the side of one bar when tension is applied to the lower span of said bail with the other bar as a fulcrum, the upper span of said bail being wider than the space between said bars so that when one edge of said span is positioned against the side of one bar the other edge of said span overlaps the other bar.

6. A buckle comprising a frame having two spaced cross bars and a bail between said cross bars, said frame having one or more slots to enable a web to be threaded therethrough and over said spaced cross bars and through said bail, said cross bars being laterally oifset relative to the normal plane of said buckle so that the upper span of said bail tends to clamp said web against the side of one bar when tension is applied to the lower span of said bail with the other bar as a fulcrum, the upper span of said bail being wider than the space between said bars so that when one edge of said span is positioned against the side of one bar the other edge of said span overlaps the other bar, the upper span of said bail being angular to the normal plane of the bail so that when said leverage is applied said span tends to assume a position in a plane parallel with the normal plane of said buckle.

7. A bail buckle comprising a frame having side bars connected by a plurality of spaced cross bars all in the same plane and an intermediate cross bar in a materially lower plane, and an elongated loop-like bail for insertion between said lower bar and an adjacent bar, the main portion of said bail being narrower than the space between said bars, and theupper span of said bail being wider than said space so that normally one edge of said upper span will overlap said lower bar when the other edge of said span is in alignment with the side of said adjacent bar.

8. A two-piece buckle comprising a frame having three parallel slots defined by cross bars and the sides of said frame, the two outer slots being arranged to enable a tape to be threaded therethrough and to extend over both intermediate cross bars, a rigid bail formed to extend between said intermediate cross bars and to enable said tape to be threaded therethrough with the upper span of said bail resting on said tape and its lower span below said frame, said upper span being angular to the normal plane of said bail and wider than the slot between said intermediate bars so that when said bail is angularly positioned relative to the plane of the buckle said upper span may be substantially parallel with the plane of said buckle.

9. A bail for use with a buckle frame of the character described comprising a rigid oblong sheet metal loop having substantially parallel upper and lower spans, said upper span being materially wider than said lower span and angularly disposed transversely of the normal plane of said bail.

10. The combination with a buckle frame having a pair of cross bars defining a slot therebetween, said bars being offset one above the plane of the other, of an oblong bail materially narrower in cross section than the width of said slot for insertion therein, a portion of the upper span of said bail being materially wider than said slot so that when inserted said upper span may engage the side of the upper cross bar and overlap the lower cross bar.

PAUL W. WHITE. 

